Crash victim’s donated organs saved four lives
THE grief-stricken father of road crash victim Darragh Killeen has told mourners his son has been able to give the gift of life to four others through organ donation.
At his son’s funeral Mass at Inch Church, Co Clare, on Saturday afternoon, Thomas Killeen told the packed church and hundreds more outside that the 19-year-old has given the gift of life to two seriously ill people and to two others.
It was the second funeral to take place within the space of three days in the Kilmaley-Inch communities as the people came together to mourn the loss of cousins and great friends, Darragh Killeen and Oisín Cahill (18).
Oisín was pronounced dead on Easter Sunday after a road crash in the early hours at Woodstock outside Ennis.
Darragh died last Tuesday from his injuries.
His organs were donated and the recipients were prayed for in the Prayers of the Faithful at his funeral Mass.
A third young man, Enda Hickey, continues to receive treatment for his own injuries sustained in the single-vehicle crash.
Paying tribute to his son at the end of the funeral Mass, Mr Killeen said that Darragh “was a beacon of hope and love for all”.
He said: “Darragh was the light of anyone who met him – his presence alone would keep you cheerful.”
Mr Killeen said his son was a mixture of many people – “and the goodness of all those people shone through in him”.
He said Darragh “never said ‘no’ of anything that was asked of him or imposed on any person”.
Darragh was captain of the Kilmaley U21 ‘C’ hurling team and Mr Killeen said: “He loved his hurling and his football – it didn’t matter too much to him if he won or lost.”
Mr Killeen said Darragh and Oisín did the same summer job together. He said: “They were in heaven like they are now.”
Darragh’s remains were later cremated at Shannon Crematorium after the funeral.